Made of silicone-coated fiberglass fabric with a collapsible metal frame, it can withstand temperatures up to 2,200 degrees. We enjoyed the ease of setup, and once we were familiar with the grill, we could open it up in seconds. A flexible metal basket holds the charcoal, and we tested both with it full and with about 12 briquettes for a quick meal. Packed up, Cuisinart’s Venture resembles a picnic basket, making it about as portable as a table-top grill can get.
This smaller Weber kettle comes equipped with only one vent, located in the lid. The lack of airflow meant we couldn’t keep the coal bed lit throughout a single cook, leaving us with pale burgers and undercooked chicken. Even after loading the Jumbo Joe grill with a full chimney starter’s worth of red-hot embers (about 90 briquettes), we could still tamp down the temperature to medium heat. We couldn’t do that with the 14-inch Weber Smokey Joe Charcoal Grill, where the single vent and the lack of airflow caused the coals to extinguish while we were cooking.
A vent at the bottom of the grill further helps you to control the temperature of the cooking space. The cooking grate is 240 in.², too, so there’s plenty of space for food, and the grates are made from coated porcelain. Kamado style grills promote even heating across their cooking surfaces, and this model is no exception. We’ve tested a range of grills capable Grills Portable Grills of packing up and grilling hot dogs, burgers and much more at the campground, park, or tailgate. Loaded with upgraded features, it’s built to deliver superior flavor every time. Your mileage may vary depending on what you cook, but you shouldn’t notice a huge difference between a portable and a full-size grill if you’re just cooking the basics for a few people.
The Weber Q 1200 Gas Grill is the best of the portable propane models we’ve tested. It outperformed the competition at both high-heat searing and low-and-slow grilling, with the fewest flare-ups. And it’s well-built, with a push-button ignition and temperature control dial that are easy to use.
Obviously, you need to be able to carry the grill regardless of its size. You don’t want anything to be so heavy that carrying it is impossible even if it can fit into your arms. The Charcoal Grills Combo Grills grill is relatively portable with ringed handles that reach all around its egg shape. It’s relatively stable, but it is a little thin, so it isn’t suitable for uneven surfaces.
Once the grill is going, the Camp Chef Portable Pellet’s internal thermometer and the computer then take over to regulate the flow of pellets into the burner. This process keeps the grill temperature remarkably close to the chosen setting. If all this tech hasn’t impressed you yet, this model also has two digital meat thermometers so that you can watch temperatures in real time.